Jake never showed. Well almost never.
Today was different though I just knew that waiting on the beach would be futile. He was off hunting Victoria and I could understood that, it was all about my safety and I was grateful that was why I never said anything when he didn't show even when he had promised we would finally get to hang out and that was why I always waited till the last minute even today.
I sat on the tree where Jake first told me the tribe's legends of the cold ones and of his werewolf ancestors. Every time I sat down here I would think of that day, how young he had looked and how that had all changed. He had told me the stories to try and scare me back then but even then it had meant something more real to me and now it did to him too.
I gave a sigh as a cool breeze rushed fast off the ocean at me as the tide came in, coming closer and closer to where I sat. I watched the sun slide a little further down the sky till it threatened to take the light with its retreat. Then I knew it was time to leave. Jake would call later and I'd at least get to talk to him then I remember how tired he always was, truth was he might just forget and sleep. That didn't bother me; actually it would be good if Jake could manage to get some sleep I felt guilty enough already about the mess I had got him involved in.
After only a moment or so I made it back up to my truck, it roared to life with ease. I made the trip back to my house in no time. When I entered Charlie sat in front of the television watching the game. He half turned his head to me as he said hello. I didn't really feel in the mood to make dinner so I heated up two bowls of left over pasta.
"Did you and Jacob have fun today?" Charlie asked as we sat down for dinner, his were eyes focused on his food as he spoke.
"Yeah," I said as smoothly as I could manage, trying to make my tone even.
I had always been a bad liar but thankfully Charlie nodded and kept eating. I realised I had been lying a lot lately when it came to Jake. I hadn't been able to tell him about the bikes then when I found out about the whole werewolf thing. It just made a whole lot more lies that needed to be told to cover both our asses when it came to the supernatural.
Finally though I was able to retreat up to my room after dinner, making my excuses about having to do homework, Charlie only nodded and let me go.
Even as I climbed the stairs I could feel this all choking me. When I get to see Jake it makes the days more bearable.
And for the first time since he left me I want to be somewhere I had never seen him. I raked my mind for a place; the whole of forks was compromised. La push was some where they actually had never been but as soon as I crossed that boarder this time of night Jacob would come running from the trees and I didn't really want to talk to him right now, I knew the conversation would drift right to vampire or 'blood suckers' as he would say. Port Angeles was out too. The only place left near enough I could think of was Seattle though it was still fairly far. A memory tickled my mind, Edward had asked me if he could drive me there fearing that my old truck might not have made it but later we had changed plans and that was the day he took me to the meadow. With the thought came the slamming wall of pain, I struggled a moment trying to tear my mind from him. I did eventually and with my breath still daggered I thought, Seattle it is then.
Charlie didn't take long to hulk up the stairs from the couch to go to bed. I waited a little longer so that there was more chance that he was out like he was in a coma. While I waited I entertained the idea of sneaking out my window. It surely would be the quietest and quickest way if I actually could make it down without falling the few feet, if not to my death to at least a broken limb or two. I'd just have to try my luck getting through this old house without tipping Charlie off.
It was about midnight when I crept down the stairs, trying desperately to recall which ones creaked. I wished I had been more of a rebel then this all might have come naturally to me and I wouldn't jump at ever almost inaudible creak. Sure enough though I made it out the front door without alerting Charlie but when I sat in my noisy monster of a truck I knew there was no amount of stealth that could stop my truck from roaring like it did so I spun the key and pulled out just hoping desperately that he wouldn't hear and even if he did he was going to have to wait till I got back before he imposed whatever punishment he had devised on me. And with how long it took to get to Seattle I imagined that might even be past dawn.
I hadn't given this all much thought but I was doing it. Before I turned off my street I hoped that he had been wrong about my truck.
It took about three hours to reach Seattle on the dead roads.
I found a quiet looking diner; I could see people with exposed arms and necks that were sprawled with tattoos, they sat cluster together. I didn't fit in here that was clear enough. I must have been in the shady part of Seattle which unnerved me but I didn't exactly know where the nicer part was. I kept my eyes down and at my table even when the waitress came over to take my order. I ordered a coke so she wouldn't kick me out.
I was right at least, I could not imagine Edward sitting with me here. Nothing in here reminded me of him. That should have been a good thing. It should have shoved the weight off me but it didn't, I felt tears bristle in my eyes until they spilled on over.
What was I here for? I knew it was to get away the only thing was it wasn't bringing me any relief. I felt trapped, boxed in and unsure. It didn't take long for my pride to die and I accepted this was a bad idea. I got up quickly and leaving my coke untouched.
I knew I must have been a mess, not just internally that was all too clear to me but also externally my tired teary eyes were probably red and puffy and I knew my eyes were underlines by dark half-moons. Sleep deprived, crying and in a city hours from my home, good job Bella, really solid plan. As soon as I step from the diner I felt the harsh cold come at me with the rain. The car park where I had left my truck wasn't in sight from where I stood and the rain was sheeting down too fast for me to make it all the way without getting soaked to the bone.
I shrank back into my hooded jacket when I could feel the rain make its way through the fabric. Chills skirted up and down my spine as I ran to the little shop that a porch at the end of the road. I was going to have to wait for the rain to die down before I made it back to my truck. If it died down.
"I don't think this rain will ease up for a while," the voice came from behind me deep, soft and only meant for my ears.
I whirled around as I stumbled back. Behind me the owner of the voice stood tall and muscular, his pale skin was stark white under the streetlight, and his blonde hair was windblown. The oddest thing about the man though was the black lensed sunglasses that sat on his straight nose.
A smirk appeared on his beautiful face when I staggered back out into the rain. There was something deadly about him, like his eyes were dancing behind those shades. Thankfully he didn't follow me out into the rain and I took comfort in the few short strides between us. If he made a move I could see him coming and I could take off provided I didn't fall flat on my face.
Then he spoke again, "You are crying and you look lost. Are you some kind of teenage runaway?" And as he spoke I could see his interest increase as he waited for my answer.
"Why do you care? Who are you?" I asked wearily still think running was a good idea but my feet were like steel rods cemented into the ground.
"Riley." His voice was so deep and smooth, like an indie singers.
Then it all clicked the white skin, the good looks and the enticing voice. The realisation brought a stab of pain to my heart and then a rush of terror. He was a vampire, but not the good golden eye kind that I might have been safe with, no I was sure under those sunglasses was a pair of crimson red eyes, like the blood of his last victim.
He noticed the change in my expression and probably the spiking of my heart rate, he cocked his head to the side and he frowned. He hadn't expected this and why should he had if I knew I should have died with the knowledge.
"You know what I am," he said his voice full of wonder.
He wasn't looking for any conformation but he got it when I took off running hoping by some impossible miracle he might just let me go. It was no use he could walk as fast as I could run, if he came after me that was it.
And Riley did. He stood in front of me with in four running steps, he shoved me and I fell backwards. I scurried along the floor trying to crawl away from him. He looked almost bored when he reached out and clutched on to my forearm holding me there.
"Please don't kill me," I pleaded.
His face was cool and expressionless when he spoke, "You know I can't let you go now kid."
I felt a tug on my arm then all I saw was the blur off darkness and streetlights. The rain sting as it collided with my face. He was running I could feel his arms hold me still in his grip, his fingers wound around my thigh and my shoulder; they clutched me so tight I could feel my skin bruising beneath his touch. My stomach was twisting, I had always hated this and under the circumstances I hated it more. All I could do was cringe back into his jacket.